More About Melanie.

Welcome!

My name is Melanie Pagán. I am 1.5 generation Caribbean (im)migrant from Puerto Rico and an inner-city kid from Chicago, currently residing in Washington, DC. At an early age, I felt a deep commitment to my community and understood that I had a special ability to both create change and empower others to be change agents.

My passion for inspiring change was first nurtured by my parents, and then further developed in college with the encouragement of my alma mater’s multicultural center directors. This led me to my work advocating for marginalized and minoritized folks in higher education, specifically BIPOC students, LGBTQIA+ students, low-income and first-generation students, student parents and pregnant students, international students, and students with disabilities.

As a Ph.D. student, my research focuses on graduate student socialization, the experiences of graduate students of color with disabilities, and the forces that affect their socialization into their field of study and profession. I use Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) as the theoretical framework for my research.

While I have served in various and diverse roles throughout my career, these things remain consistent in my work:

• I am here to institutionalize inclusive and sustainable change;

• I am here to help create a more socially just world;

• I am here to educate others on how to do the same.

Check out my CV to learn more about my education, training, and experiences.